How to use oats in an ale style beer

[Boe1971]

Hi guys! I just popped over to MrBeer... man that place has really gone down hill since I've been away. I've been real busy the last several months with life and work and all. I recently got back into the brewing scene after a 5 or 6 month hiatus and I have been brewing like a mad man. Any how the reason I came here was to ask about oats. I want to thicken my pale ales and IPAs up just a bit. Give them more mouthfeel and I want to get better head retention. I have read that adding oats is an easy way to do both of those things but I have never used them. I guess what I am asking is 1) will adding oats give me better mouth feel and head retention? and 2) when do I add them to the wort? Do I steep them for half an hour like a specialty grain or add them at the beginning of the hop boil? And last but not least 3) how much to use for a 2.4 gallon sized batch? I really do not want any oat flavor, just a thicker mouthfeel and good head retention. Wow, that last sentence sounded kinda dirty didn't it?

[BlackDuck]

Are you doing extract recipes or all grain recipes? If your doing AG, you can mash at a higher temp (152 to 154), which will give you a fuller body which means increased mouthfeel. As for the head retention, you can add some carapils to the grain bill. These techniques would work better than using oats.